LineageOS 16 is out and here is the LineageOS 16 MindTheGapps zip File download for Android Pie 9 based ROMs. You need the Lineage OS 16 MindTheGapps zip file which is recommended for any LineageOS 16 based Custom ROMs to get Google Applications.

– MindTheGapps is the recommended GApps for Lineage OS 16 which is created and maintained by javelinanddart – MindTheGApps supports A/B partitioning information for new gen Android Phones. – javelinanddart is one of the LineageOS developers who definitely knows the way LineageOS works and probably would have implemented the MindTheGapps accordingly for LineageOS 16 support.

Why the LineageOS 16 MindTheGapps is not part of Lineage OS 16 ROM??

Android being an Open Source Project is free to use but the underlying Application are not. Because of the Open Source nature of Android many developers started developing their version of Androids for example: CyanogenMod (LineageOS) which has their own set of features on top of Stock Android Source code.

Android is owned and developed by Google and hence it delivers all the google made Applications such as: Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps and many other applications with almost all Android devices.

It was back in 2009 during the development of CyanogenMod 4.1 Google sent a letter to Steve Kondik (Co-founder of CyanogenMod) to remove all the Google Applications from CyanogenMod ROM. After this conflict, any Android ROM be it the stock AOSP code, LineageOS or any other ROM does not include any proprietary application.

Why to flash Lineage OS 16 MindTheGapps??

The Google apps are not required to boot or run LineageOS, however many users find them beneficial to take full advantage of the Android ecosystem.

Because Google’s applications are not free and are not allowed to be in a custom ROM like LineageOS (Lineage OS 16 in this case), they are being extracted from some OEM’s devices such as Google Pixel devices and are made available as a recovery flashable zip file.

Usually these Lineage OS 16 MindTheGapps includes basic Google Apps such as: Google Play Services and Google play etc. – Without these applications you cannot download any application because there would not be any Google Play Store.

– These Gapps have been packaged by developers independent of LineageOS, and download links have been provided for your convenience only.

The Google apps (GApps) packages are not supported in any way by LineageOS.

LineageOS 16 MindTheGapps DOWNLOAD LINKS FOR ALL ARCHITECTURES:

MindTheGapps is recommended for Lineage OS 16 Android 9 Pie ROM builds because first of all it is developed by a developer who is one of the team members of LineageOS. MindTheGapps supports A/B partitioning in Lineage OS (primarily an Android implementation). Primarily designed by keeping LineageOS in mind.

How to install LineageOS 16 MindTheGapps zip file:

These MindTheGapps are all recovery flashable zip packages, which means you can install these MindTheGapps on Lineage OS 16 based custom ROMs using custom recoveries like TWRP, LineageOS recovery or PhilZ recovery etc. Here is a guide explaining How to install MindTheGapps using TWRP recovery